NIH Grants:
Chapter 05 — Make a checklist of all the materials you need

By Jennifer Kong

Make a checklist of required documents

Regardless of what NIH fellowship or grant you you decide to apply to, the application will be long and attacking it all at once can be overwhelming. A strategy that really helped me get organized (and stay motivated) was to make a checklist of all the items I would need to write and collect from others. Below is a list I generated from the NIH Grants and Funding website. I’ve italicized the items you should request sooner rather than later, since you will need to ask others for these materials.

F31/32 Checklist

  • Project Summary/Abstract (30 lines of text)

  • Project Narrative (3 sentences)

  • Introduction to Resubmission/Revision (1 page — only necessary for second submissions)

  • Applicant’s Background and Goals for Fellowship Training (6 pages)

  • Specific Aims (1 page)

  • Research Strategy (6 pages)

  • Respective Contributions (1 page)

  • Selection of Sponsor and Institution (1 page)

  • Training in the Responsible Conduct of Research (1 page)

  • Sponsor and Co-Sponsor Statements (6 pages)

  • Letters of Support from Collaborators, Contributors, and Consultants (6 pages)

  • Description of the Institutional Environment and Commitment to Training (1 page)

    • Here an additional 1 page is added for F30/31 applications for Additional Educational Information.

  • Equipment

  • Facilities and other resources

  • Applications for Concurrent Support (1 page — only if applicable)

  • Biographical Sketch (5 pages)

  • Reference Letters (at least 3 and no more than 5)

K99 Checklist

  • Project Summary/Abstract (30 lines of text)

  • Project Narrative (3 sentences)

  • Introduction to Resubmission/Revision (1 page — only necessary for second submissions)

  • Candidate Information and Goals for Career Development and Research Strategy (12 pages)

  • Specific Aims (1 page)

  • Training in the Responsible Conduct of Research (1 page)

  • Plans and Statements from Mentor and Co-Mentor (6 pages)

  • Letters of Support from Collaborators, Contributors, and Consultants (6 pages)

  • Description of the Institutional Environment (1 page)

  • Institutional Commitment to the Candidate’s Research Career Development (1 page — at most universities you need to put in a request for this).

  • Equipment

  • Facilities and other resources

  • Biographical Sketch (5 pages)

  • Reference Letters (at least 3 and no more than 5)

To keep organized and motivated, make a K99 checklist like the one above.

To keep organized and motivated, make a K99 checklist like the one above.